Human Subject Research

It is the policy of Pepperdine University that all research involving human participants
must be conducted in accordance with accepted ethical, federal, and professional standards
for research and that all such research must be approved by one of the university's
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). In the review and conduct of research, Pepperdine
University is guided by the ethical principles set forth in the Belmont Report. In addition, all human subjects research conducted by or under the auspices of Pepperdine
University will be performed in accordance with the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations,
DHHS (CFR), Title 45 Part 46 (45 CFR 46), entitled Protection of Human Research Subjects, and Parts 160 and 164, entitled Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information and the California Protection of Human Subjects in Medical Experimentation Act. Where applicable, FDA regulations on human subjects research will be followed (CFR
Title 21 Parts 50 and 56, Protection of Human Subjects and Institutional Review Boards). In addition, research conducted with human subjects must be performed in accordance
with the accepted ethical principles established by professional organizations or
societies that are applicable to the area of investigation. The actions of Pepperdine
University will also conform to all other applicable federal, state, and local laws
and regulations. Pepperdine University has assured the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) of the DHHS that all human subjects research will be conducted in accordance with 45 CFR 46 and
has been issued Federal Wide Assurance by the OHRP.

The primary goal of the Pepperdine University IRBs is to protect the welfare and dignity
of human subjects. A secondary goal of the Pepperdine IRBs is to assist investigators
in conducting ethical research that complies with applicable regulations. Thus, when
a faculty member, student, and/or employee of Pepperdine University wishes to conduct
research involving human subjects, her or his research proposal must be reviewed by
one of the following IRBs:

Seaver College IRB: Responsible for reviewing research applications of investigators from any division/department
within Seaver College. Staff members or employees of Pepperdine who do not have a faculty appointment,
but who are conducting research investigations also should submit IRB applications
to the Seaver College IRB.

Prior to initiating any research project that seeks to obtain data from human participants,
the investigator must obtain written approval from the appropriate Pepperdine IRB.

Where to Submit Applications?

Faculty members and students from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, the School of Law, and the School of Public Policy may submit IRB applications via email to the Graduate and Professional School IRB. As of May 1, 2013 paper submissions
will no longer be accepted.

Faculty members and students from Seaver College should submit IRB applications to
the Seaver College IRB. Staff members or employees of Pepperdine who do not have
a faculty appointment, but who are conducting research investigations also should
submit IRB applications to the Seaver College IRB.